Rain on the rooftop and a cloudy sky started day two in my life as an American Nomad. We spent the night at a rest area just outside of Council Bluffs. I will note that Council Bluffs is a stop on the Lewis and Clark trail, as the Corps stopped here and met with the Otoe tribe. After waking up and getting washed up, my mom and I hit the road around ten.
We have only $25.00 left on our card, using most of our cash on gas. McDonald's Dollar Menu has been a life saver. We still have two days until we get paid and are debating how to get through them. For now we drive on and enjoy the scenery.
The sky began to learn up as we continued north toward Sioux City on I-29. We stopped for a quick lunch @ Mickey D's. The chain was situated on the edge of a expansive cornfield. The sky had cleared by now, and a bright blue sky spanning one's peripheral vision opened up the landscape.
Many people think Iowa is completely flat, but this is only a half-truth. Iowa is home to a scenic and very unique geographic feature known as "The Loess Hills." The Hills are a formation of wind deposited loess soil, an aeolian sediment formed by the acculmulation of wind-blown silt and lesser variable amounts of sand and clay, which are loosely cemented by calcium carbonate.
The Hills are a bluff line running alongside the Missouri River and the flood plain. Here is a description from a brochure on the Hills.
The dominant features of this landscape are "peak and saddle" topography, "razor ridges" (narrow ridges, often less than ten feet wide, which fall off at near ninety-degree angles on either side for 60 feet or more), and "cat-step" terraces (caused by the constant slumping and vertical sheering of the loess soil). The soil has a characteristic yellow hue and is generally broken down into several units based on the period of deposition (Loveland, Pisgah, Peoria). Loess is known locally as "sugar clay" because it can be extremely hard when dry, but when wet, loses all cohesion. The Loess Hills of Iowa are remarkable for the depth of the drift layer, often more than ninety feet deep. The only comparable deposits of loess to such an extent are located in Shaanxi, China.[1]
The Loess Hills add a unique vibrant flavor to the western part of Iowa. They fill up the prairie plains, touching sky to hill to river to wheat and corn stalks...Reading about the uniqueness of the geology only made the Hills all the more impressive.
Midway between Council Bluffs and Sioux City we exited off to explore the Lewis and Clark State Park. The location is for day-use and has plenty of places to picnic alongside the banks of the Missouri. A soft whistle of the wind buffered the heat. The idyllic setting is very similar to the landscape, which Lewis and Clark would have experienced when they stopped at this location on August 10th 1804.
A replica of the keel boat the L&C Corps of Discovery used is on display by a modern dock. Tourists can board the keel boat for an overall feel of how it was to travel on the Missouri with L&C. Word to caution though...the Keel boat replica is much larger than the real deal and it really made me pause to think - how could so many men ride on the keel boat in 1804 without being brutally uncomfortable...my guess is they just roughed it out. The river run up to the Continental Divide between Missouri to the Middle of Montana was excruciating at times as the Corps had to go up against the current, utilizing all their strength to paddle upriver. The banks are calm at L&C State Park, but don't kid yourself - the Missouri is strong, mighty and wasn't for the faint of heart. It makes their journey all the more amazing.
Next on the L&C themed day: Sioux City, a metropolitan area situated in No.Western Iowa, just south of the South Dakota line. The City has a long history with exploration and railroad expansion. It is also the hometown of former Kansas Jayhawk standout: Kirk Hinrich - yes he's one of my fave players from KU...
On the Lewis and Clark trail, Sioux City was a sad memory for the Corps of Discovery. On August 20th 1804, Sergeant Floyd of the Corps died from what modern day scientists believed to have been appendicitis. It is important to note that Floyd was the soul member of the party to die while on the expedition and what he died of was something that was incurable in his day. Even if Floyd had been privy to the best doctors in Philadelphia in 1804 - he would have died. Though tragic, it also shows how well-run and what a tight knit group of explorers - the Corps were. For two years and many perilous times only one died - and he would have died whether on the journey or not.
My mom and I went to Sergeant Floyd's grave. It was almost 205 years to the date of his death. I said a silent prayer of respect for Floyd and his service for the Corps. Floyd's Grave is almost in the exact location where the original L&C members buried him. However a historical society was forced to move it from the original site in the 1850s due to water erosion. They moved the body to a nearby bluff - so high you won't find a better view this side of Iowa. It overlooks the Missouri and the city built around him. In the early 1900s, a obelisk style monument was erect atop the grave site. It is a remarkable structure and well thought out. I'd recommend paying your respects to Floyd. A trip to this towering memorable and the vista surrounding it is a must stop on any tour of Sioux City or I-29.
After a stop at Floyd's grave we drove to the nearby Sioux City waterfront and historical center. This is another MUST SEE destination in Iowa. Both museums are free and you have excellent Missouri River Front access.
Two museums stand about 100-200 yards apart. The first was the Sergeant Floyd Visitor Center. The VC is housed in a historic steamboat, which is now permanently docked on the banks of the Missouri. The Steamboat gives a history of how the Missouri was used for business and travel in the early days of western expansion. It is filled with exhibits on Sioux City's History, Sergeant Floyd, and tourist info on Iowa.
Next door is an interactive museum the entire family can enjoy. The Lewis and Clark Interpretative Center offers a hands way to learn about the Corps of Discovery, their timeline, and historical significance. Illustrated panels, animatronics, and computer activities offer insightful information about the Corps - and the fates of each individual member. A gorgeous statue of Lewis and Clark and Lewis's faithful dog Seaman stands guard in a welcoming garden area between the banks of the Missouri and the museum.
After two hours at the museum and VC, my mom and I headed north on I-29 towards the South Dakota line and Sioux Falls. Once in Sioux Falls, about 86 miles outside of Sioux City, we stopped at McDonald's to split a dollar meal and a couple of sundaes.
Sioux Falls by the wall is a big city as Mid-West cities go. It has lots of shopping compared to other nearby towns and is known for its namesake falls, which are preserved in a downtown area park.
Over dinner, we discussed our upcoming itinerary and budgeted out our limited funds. After much deliberation, we decided to continue on the highway for another few hours. I know this sounds crazy, but considering the fact the Oldsmobile has been driving SO smoothly we're sort of paranoid about stopping too long with the fear it won't start up again... we merged, this time on I-90, westward bound.
Eastern South Dakota is filled with magnificent beauty, although many might see the land as flat and the prairies too vast and lifeless; they are wrong. The prairie wind rolls the grasslands like a symphony and the crickets jumped from stalk to stalk and the bird's flying over the vast endless sky create a tapestry, a harmony.
The sunset colored the sky in a shade of various hues ranging from blues to purples to fire reds and warm oranges and pinks. The sun was blistery bright, but the landscape made it glow so to illuminate the land. And as dusk settled I could only think about the wind and life often overlooked on the prairie floor, and who might dwell in the large well-built 100 year old farmhouses scattering the land....
An hour or so west of Sioux Falls we exited off at Mitchell, a small, but lively town with culture and corn. The world famous Mitchell Corn Palace stands tall in the center of town, and although I'm not usually one to buy into gimmicks - I insisted we stop, albeit briefly.
The history of the Corn Palace is as such: It was originally constructed during "The Corn Belt Exposition" in 1892 to showcase the rich soil of South Dakota and to encourage land seekers to settle in the area. The original edifice was a wooden castle structure on Mitchell's Main Street. However it has since been rebuilt twice, in 1904-05 and in 1921. It's architectural style is full of domes and minarets. Every year fresh corn husks and new designs are mounted throughout the Corn Palace. It is estimated it costs 130,000 to decorate annually. The interior is a gym and has a stage for concerts. Exhibits on South Dakota, and corn fill the interior as well. The Corn Palace is free and definitely worth a picture or two!
Mitchell has more than just The Corn Palace. The town of roughly 14,000 also has several museums including: The Dakota Discovery Museum, which focuses on the settlement of the region from the 1600s Native Americans to 1939 and the Great Depression, and the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village. The town is also home to Dakota Wes. University, the alma mater of Mitchell Resident, former Senator George McGovern.
Following our quick, but enjoyable pit stop through Mitchell, my mom and I gassed up the Oldsmobile and drove until the Chamberlin Rest Stop. We were tired and running low on fuel...one more full day and roughly $18 left for gas and food. With God's help, we'll make it work somehow...
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